People prioritise comfort objects during disaster prep
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Researchers in the UK surveyed 1,000 adults to understand disaster preparedness and discovered that many people would grab sentimental items alongside essential supplies.
The After the End project examined how people prepare for crises, finding that most UK adults have less than half of the recommended supplies like food, water, and medicine. Only four of those surveyed reported feeling fully prepared, a finding consistent with a 2025 UK survey where just 13% of over 10,000 adults felt prepared.
Participants expressed a strong desire to take items like childhood teddy bears, jewelry, and family photos, believing these would support their well-being after a disaster. Psychologists explain this through “extended self theory,” which posits that possessions help people build and maintain their identity. A stable sense of self can act as a psychological anchor during crises, aiding coping mechanisms and reducing negative rumination.
The research also revealed that people who felt more capable of handling a disaster also reported having more of the recommended supplies. Beyond individual comfort, sentimental items can help rebuild communities by sparking storytelling and preserving memories after a disaster, as seen after the 2011 Japan tsunami where loss of family photos caused significant emotional distress.
